1. Field of Invention
This invention relates in general to sleeping comfort and in particular to positioning and supporting the user's lower legs during sleep in a way that will restrict the user from sleeping in awkward uncomfortable sleeping positions, while still allowing the user the ability to easily change from one comfortable sleeping position to a wide range of alternative sleeping positions.
2. Description of Prior Art
Many people will experience stiffness and pain in their lower back, hips, shoulders and various other areas of their body after a night of sleeping in uncomfortable awkward sleeping positions.
When a person lies flat on her back with her knees straight, the weight of her legs will push down on the hip joints which will result in pressure and stress on the hip joints. When the hip joints are pushed downward, the part of the hip that connects to the lower spine is tilted upward which creates a small reverse curvature of the lower spine. The reverse curvature of the lower spine creates pressure and stress in the lower back area. A cushion under the knees of a person who is sleeping on her back will support the weight of the sleeper's legs and will alleviate the downward pressure on the sleeper's hip joints. When the downward pressure on the hip joints is alleviated, then there will not be any upward pressue where the hips and lower spine connect. The lack of upward pressure on the lower spine will allow the lower spine to stay in a more relaxed and comfortable sleeping position. The problem with placing an ordinary cushion underneath the sleeping person's knees is that during sleep the cushion will become dislodged as the sleeper occasionally changes sleeping positions.
When a person sleeps on her side with her knees together, the weight of the upper leg creates pressure and stress on the hip joints. A cushion placed in between the knees of a person sleeping on her side will support the weight of the top leg which will relieve stress and pressure on the hip joints. The problem with placing an ordinary cushion between the knees of a person sleeping on her side is that the cushion will become dislodged as the sleeper occasionaly changes sleeping positions.
Even the most comfortable sleeping positions will result in stiffness and pain if the sleeping person does not occasionally change positions during a night of sleep. The Sleep Comforter will not only restrict the user to sleeping in only comfortable sleeping positions, but just as importantly it gives the user the ability to exercise and relax muscles and joints during sleep by allowing the user the ability to easily move from one comfortable position to a wide range of alternative comfortable sleeping positions.
The Sleep Comforter can be used by anyone who experiences stiffness and pain after bed rest, but should be especially comforing for women in their 3rd trimester of pregnancy. The additional weight and pressure caused by the pregnancy can create extra stress and pressure on the lower back and hip joints during bed rest.
Whatever the precise merits, features, and advantages of the cited references, none of them achieves or fulfills the purposes of the Sleep Comforter. A patent search revealed several inventions used to improve sleeping positions. The relative art fails to provide an apparatus which supports and positions the user's lower legs during bed rest, while still allowing the user the freedom to easily move in and out of a wide variety of comfortable sleeping postions.
The prior art which is most similiar to my invention, the Sleep Comforter, is called the "Leg Positioning Assembly", U.S. Pat. No. 4,910,818. The Leg Positioning Assembly is a cushion which fits under, around, and in between the user's legs from the middle thigh area to the middle calf area. The Leg Positioning Assembly immobilizes the user's hip joints and knee joints which would be preferred for a patient who has a hip or knee injury, but would not be preferred for someone who wants to relieve pain and stiffness caused during sleep or prolonged bed rest. Movement of muscles and joints is necessary to prevent stiffness and pain in muscles and joints during sleep or prolonged bed rest.
My invention, the Sleep Comforter, fits under, around and in between the user's lower legs from just below the user's knee joints to just above the user's ankles. Because the Sleep Comforter attaches below the knee joints, it is conducive for the user to change the position of their knee joints and hip joints during sleep or prolonged bed rest. Since the user of the Sleep Comforter can change the position of their knee joints and hip joints, the user can exercise and relax their muscles and joints, which will provide a more restful sleep and alleviate stiffness and pain in their muscles and joints after sleep or prolonged bed rest.